FILE – On this January 10, 2021, home health care workers and their patients begin receiving Moderna COVID-19 vaccines at a vaccination clinic in Portland, Ore. (Kristyna Wentz-Graff / Pool Photo via AP, File)
PHOENIX – The total number of COVID-19 vaccine shots given in Arizona now exceeds the number of people who tested positive for the coronavirus, according to data from the Department of Health.
The Arizona Department of Health Services said in its daily update Friday afternoon that 822,821 vaccines have been administered in the state.
That morning, the department reported 3,826 new cases on its COVID-19 dashboard, pushing a total of 775,622 infections.
As of Thursday’s updates, the state has had about 771,000 cases with 766,000 doses of vaccination.
Arizona receives new vaccines from the federal government every week. The total allocation was increased to 1,195,000 vaccines on Monday, with 44% not yet used. As of Friday, the state was up to 31% of its supply.
Since Monday, 151,308 shots have been fired in Arizona.
The two vaccines approved in America, Moderna and Pfizer require two doses that are several weeks apart to achieve the effectiveness of the filling. Friday’s update from the health department showed that 145,879 people completed the series for two shots, an increase of 102,002 on Monday.
Arizona requested a larger grant because it increased the rate of injections. The state-run mass vaccination rooms at State Farm Stadium in Glendale and Phoenix Municipal Stadium are operating under capacity due to supply shortages. Both sites have been booked until February, though more appointments will be added for the month if more vaccine is available.
The vaccines used in the US since December must be kept frozen during shipping and storage. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines also did not have enough, which led the authorities to limit distribution to high-risk populations.
Help can be en route in the form of a 1-dose vaccine, which can be easily disbursed at pharmacies and doctors’ offices. The Johnsons & Johnson vaccine was presented to U.S. regulators on Thursday and is expected to be approved for emergency use by the end of the month.
To learn more about vaccine availability, the Arizona Department of Health website has a vaccination page with a location map and registration information.